Dispensing, severing, and moistening apparatus



Feb- 2, 1932. A. P. INGRAM NSING, SEVERING, AND MOISTENING APPARATUSDISI'L Filed July 3, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR a@ ffy 4,7/2@ 5 Feb.2, 1932. A. P. INGRAM DISPENSING, SEVERING, AND MOISTENING APPARATUSFiled July 5,l 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Feb. 2, 1932. A. P. INGRAMDISPENSING, SEVEHING, AND MOISTENING APPARATUS Filed July 3, 1928 4Sheets-Sheet 3 NVENTOR Feb. 2, 1932.

A, P. INGRAM DISPENSING, SEVERING, AND MOISTENING' APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheef 4 INVENTOR Filed July 5, 1928 Patented Feb. 2, 1932 maaier ALONZOP. ING-RAM, F PITTSBURGH, PWNSYLVANIA DISPENSING, SEVERING, ANDMOISTENING APPARATUS Application led July 3, 1928. Serial No. 290,130.

This invention relates to apparatus for dispensing and severingcontinuous strip Inaterial such as gummed paper strip and is especiallyapplicable for use in dispensing strips which are gummed at intervals.

lt is among the objects of this invention to provide apparatus of theabove designated character which shall sever strips in predeterminedlengths and which shall moisten m the gummed ends of the ystrip as it iswithdrawn from the machine.

Another object ofthe invention is to provide apparatus in which thestrip member is an element which cooperates with the severl ingmechanism for the purpose of causing the strip to be severed inpredetermined lengths and in which the strip itself is the element whichinitiates the severing operation and the operations following thesevering of the strip member.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus which shall beadapted for moistening the gummed end of the strip Q after it is severedand which shall be fur- P ther capable of automatically feeding thestrip for a portion of its travel through the machine.

Still another object of the invention is to o provide apparatus of theabove designated character which shall be of simple, compact and durablemechanical construction which shall comprise a minimumv number of partsf that are arranged to make them readily accessible for inspection andrenewal, which shall be assembled in a permanent housing to protect themfrom dust and moisture and which shall be relatively inexpensive tomanufacture.

In the accompanying drawings constituting a part hereof and in whichlike reference characters designate like parts Fig. 1 is a longitudinalsectional View 4, partially in elevation of apparatus embodying theprinciples of this invention.

Fig. 2 a top plan view thereof with the cover element removed.

Fig. 3 a vertical sectional view taken along the line III-IH, Fig. l.

Fig. 4 a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the severing mechanism in thecut-olf position and the moistening element in operative engagement withthe strip.

Fig. 5 a side elevational view of a cam member and follower.

Fig. 6 a similar view of a cam element.

Fig. 7 a diagrammatic view of a strip of the kind for which the presentapparatus is designed.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings the structure thereinillustrated comprises a base or support 1 having journals 2 forrotatably supporting a shaft 3 which supports a roll 4L of stripmaterial such as paper tape 5, Fig. 7, Which is provided with weakenedportions or transverse slits 6 at spaced apart intervals and which isfurther provided with gummed portions 7 adjacent the slits.

Again referring to Fig. 1, the support 1 is provided With a top or covermember 8 which may be permanent or removable and which forms a passage 9with a sheet metal strip 10 through which passage the end of strip 5 ismade to pass. 0

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the cover member 8 may be hinged as at 11 andsecured by a wing nut 12 to the support or base 1, thereby rendering thecover member removable for the purpose of providing access to theinterior of the apparatus.

Referring to Fig. 3 a shaft 14 is rotatably journalled in the housingsupport 1 in journals or bushings 15. Secured to the shaft 111 is aspiral spring 16, one end of which is fastened to a spring casing 17. Agear wheel 18 is rotatably journalled on the shaft 14 and is providedwith a clutch element 19, Fig. Q, which is adapted to cooperate with acompleinentary shaped clutch member 20. The

member is operatively connected to rotate with a ratchet wheel 21 thatis fixed to rotate with the spring housing 17 so that when the clutch19-20 is engaged, the spring housing 17 will be the driving member forgear wheel 18.

The gear 18 through an idler gear 18 actuates a gear wheel 23 that isfixed to rotate with a shaft 24 Fig. 3 journalled in bearings 25 whichare vertically movable in 'depending bosses or lugs 26 formed integrallywith the cover member 8. As'shown in Fig. 1, the bosses 26 are providedwith slotted openings 27 in which the bearing members 25 are disposedfor vertical movement and the bearing members 25 are biased by coilsprings 28 in the direction of. the `roller 30 thereby assuringtheproper operatingl contac-t of the rollers 29 andz30 ivitlrstrip 5.

The shaft 25 carries a frictional roller 29 ofrubber orv other yieldingmaterial which roller cooperates with a flanged roller 30 to intimatelyengage the paper strip 5 therebetween. The shaft 24 is further providedwith a gear wheel 31 on the end opposite to thegear wheel 23. 'llhcgear31l rotates with the shaft 24. The teeth ofthe gear wheel 31 are adaptedto Vmesh or-interact'Y with the teethof'a gear wheelY 32 which isrotatably mounted on shaft 14 and provided with a clutchiface' 33:thatVr cooperates with a clutch face 34 of a movable clutchk memberwhich is in sliding engagement withv a sleeve element 35 that isrotatable with the shaft 14. Mounted; on the sleeve element 25iislalcam= 36 having airi'ser 37 on.r one sidethereof which cooperates with. acamY follower 38. AnotherV cam element 39 is rotatably mounted onv thesleeve 35 and is provided with a follower 40. The follower 38 isjournalled. on a stud carried by an`r arm 41 of a shifting yoke element42 which is pivotally connected at 43'toa lug 44 projecting upwardly onthe baseof the support 1, theyoke member 42 being adapted for pivotalmovement inresponse to. the movement of the camfollower 3S-effected bythe cam member 36. y

The arms of the yoke member 42 are providedV with trunnion members whichslidaably engage the slotted portions 45 and 46 of clutch members 2O and34 which members are moved to their clutch making and breaking positionsby movement of the yoke 42. l .Y

Referring toFigs. 1 and 2, a severing mechanism is mounted in thehousing 1 and operates to sever the strip material 5 at intervals bymeans of the following mechanism'z-A cut-od knife 50 is secured to apair of parallel bars-51 which are pivotally mounted on a iiXed shaft 52to render the knife element vertically movable into a notched or slottedportion 53 of the cover member 8 and' through a slotted portion/54 ofthe partition member 10, the movement of the knife 50 being across thestrip material 5 which is severed thereby. The knife 50 is provided witha tongue or pilot member 55 for a purpose to be hereinafter stated.

Secured to the knife 50 is an angle bar 57, the base of whichconstitutes a seat for a helical spring 58 that rests upon a lug 59formed on the housing support 1. The knife 50 is normally biased to theupper or cut-off position shown in Fig. 4 by the coil spring 58 but isheld in its lower position as illustrated in Fig. 1 by the paper strip 5and by a latch bar 60. The latter is provided with slotted openings 61in engagement with pins 62 projecting from an extended portion of thehousing member' andv by means of the slottedengagementwith pins 62 thelatch bar is rendered movable longitudinally. The bar 60 is' biased, bya coil spring 63 that is fastenedV to one of the pins 62 and to a pin 64ine the manner illustrated in Fig. 1. The barV 60- is` further providedwith al shoulder portionA 65 having a tapered` edge 66, the shoulderbeing adapted to engage the knife 50 in the manner shown in Fig. 1.Theother end of the bar 60 is provided with a beveled edge 67 forengaging a pawl 68 that is adapted to lit into-a notch 69 of the cam 36,Fig. 6. The pin element 64 of the bar 60 is adapted for engagement by abell crank lever-69 pivote'd at 70, the lever being actuated by adepending' portion 71 of an arm 72 that is provided* with an extension73 which engages the angle bar 57 of the knife as shown in Fig. 4' forthe purpose of cooking knife 50 after it has moved to cut-off position.The lever 72 is actuated by the cam 39 through the follower 40 which iscarried by an. arm 75 of the lever 72. The ratchet wheel 21 is engagedby a pawl 76 to permit its rotation in one direction only.

The ends of the knife supporting arms 51 are pivotally connected at 77to a lever 78 carrying a. moistener 79. As'shown in Fig. 4 the arm 78carrying the moistener is provided with extensions 80 which are engagedby levers 81 that are biasedby spring 82, the object of the spring andlever being to press the moistener 79 against the underside of strip 5inthe manner shown in Fig. 4. The moi'stener is adapted to be at all timepartially submerged 'in a moistening fluid 83, such as water,.which isprovided in a container or well 84, placed on la shoulder portion 85 ofthek member 63.

The operation of the combined dispensing, severing and moisteningapparatus is briefly vas follows Y Referring to Fig. 7, the strip ofrolled tape, as previously explained, is gummed at intervals, asindicated at 7, and provided with weakened transverseportions 6, suchlas perroll 4 and between the friction roll 29 and f the flanged roll 30,and it is then disposed through the passage 9 and projected beyond thedispensing side of the apparatus in the manner shown in Fig. l. I

The eut-olf knife 50 is cocked to the position shown in Fig.v l and thelatch bar 6() pressed with the shoulder 65 against the bottoni edge ofthe knife. rfhe pilot 55 of the knife is supported by the paper stripwhich acts as an abutment. rlfhe pilot is yieldingly urged against thestrip by the action of the coil spring 58.

To operate the device the operator engages the projecting portion ofstrip 5 and draws it out of the passage 9. In doing so, the roll 29 byvirtue of its frictional engagementl With the strip 5, is rotated and inturn rotates the gear Wheel 18 through its gear connection 23. When themechanism is in the cocked position, as shown in Fig. l, the clutchelements i9 and 2O are in their clutch making position in which positionthe spring easing 17 is rotated in the direction causing the spring 16to be Wound up, storing up torsional energy.

Villen the strip 5 has been pulled out to the position Where one of theslits 6 of the strip registers with the pilot 55, the knife willantomatically rise for a distance corresponding to the length of thepilot which is suflicient to release the latch bar 60 and the latter isdrawn by spring 63 in the direction of the roll Ll, and in thismovement, the lower edge of knife 50 is engaged by the tapered surface66 of the latch bar and forced upwardly, bringing the cutting edge ofthe knife into engagement With the strip 5 and evering the same on aline in a plane With the slits 6. The bars 51 carrying the knife intheir upward movement, Will cause the member 7 S carrying the moistenerto be raised, to bring the moistener into engagement with the end of thestrip 5 so that the gummed portions 7 adjacent the cut-off end of t 1estrip will pass over the moistener as the strip is withdrawn from theapparatus.

Simultaneously with the backward inovement of the latch 60, the paivl 68is engaged by the latch bar and displaced out of contact With notch 69of the cam 36. This action causes the following sequence of operationsrlhe energy stored up in spring i6 will rotate ca ns 36 and 39 causingthe siifting yoke l2 to break the clutch element ia-20 and makeclutching engagement of the elements 33-34 whereby the gear Whse. 32 isactuated causing the pinion member 3i to rotate. The pinion 3l beingfined to rotate the passage 9 for a distance corresponding tov theperipheral movement of the roller 29 which is of such dimension inproportion to its rotary movement effected through the spring releasethat the strip 5 will project a predetermined distance out of the end ofpassage 9 as illustrated in Figs. l, 2 and l of the drawings. Y

During the rotation of the sleeve 35 effected by the unvvinding of thespring 16, the follower l0 Will strike the rise of cam 39, thus raisingthe arm 7 5 of lever 72 and depressing the arm on the opposite side ofits pivotal support. By this action the depending longitudinal element7l of lever 72 engages an arm of the bell crank 69 depressing the latterwhich produces movement of the latch bar in the direction Which subjectsthe spring member 63 to tension and the end 7 3 of lever 72 at the sametime engages the seat of the angle bar 57 and causes the knife 50 to belowered to its cocked position at the same time depressing the coilspring 58.

When the knife 50 has fallen beloiv the shoulder of the latch bar, it isout of line with the tape element 5 and it is then that the latter isautomatically dispensed through the passage 9 as previously explained.

When the apparatus again assumes its normal position, the pilot 55 ofthe cut-off knife will yieldingly engage the loiver edge of the strip 5and the apparatus is set for the removal of the next strip, which iseffected in the same manner as described.

It is to be noted that the operation of the severing mechanism isinitiated through the slit 6 of the strip material and that the lengthof strip cut-ofi' by the mechanism is determined by the spacing of theslits in the strip. On account of the fact that the cut-ofi mechanismcooperates with the strip in a manner to be released when the weakenedportion or slit of the strip registers with the pilot of the cut-olfknife, the strip element is constituted an element in the operatingmechanism and the severing mechanism is thereby rendered positive in itsaction as it is not dependent upon frictional Contact or other variableelements employed in prior art devices.

Attention is also called to the coordination of the moistener with thecutoff or severing mechanism by means of Which the moistening element iskept out of contact with the strip until the latter has been severedwhich is at the time the gummed portion of the strip is passing over theregion of the moistener. This is another decided advance in apparatus ofthis kind.

It Will be evident from the foregoing description of this invention thatdispensing and severing mechanism made in accordance therewith is ofsimple and relatively inexpensive construction and positive andeliicient in its operation of conducting the several functions for whichit is intended.

ment has herein been illustrated and described, it will be obvious tothose skilled in the art that various modifications may be made in thedetails of construction without departing from the principles herein setforth.

I claim herein as my invention z' l. Apparatus for dispensing andsevering strip material comprising in combination means for supporting acontinuous strip having weakened portions at spaced intervals, asevering member in the path of movement of the strip which is adapted tocooperatively and continuously engage said strip, and mechanism adaptedto render said severing member operative when' a weakened portion of thestrip is in alinement with the severing edge.

2. Apparatus for dispensing and severing strip material comprising incombination means for supporting a continuous strip- 1naving weakenedportions at spaced intervals, a severing member in the path of movementof the strip having a pilotfor continuous engagement with said strip andmechanism adapted to render said severing member operative when itspilot registers with a weakened portion of the strip.

3. Apparatus for dispensing and severing strip material comprising incombination means for supporting a continuous strip having weakenedportions at spaced intervals7 a severing member in the path of movementof the strip and adapted to yieldingly and continuously engage saidstrip and means actuating said .severing member to cut off the stripwhen a weakened portion of the latter is in register therewith.

4. Apparatus for dispensing and severing strip material comprising incombination means for supporting a continuous strip having transverselydisposed perforations, va severing member in the path of movement of thestrip, and resilient means for yieldingly holding said member againstsaid strip, said means being operative to cut off said strip when thesevering member is in alinement with a perforated portion thereof.

5. Apparatus for dispensing and severing strip material comprising incombination means for supporting a continuous strip having weakenedportions at spaced` intervals, and a severing member biased against saidstrip and adapted to register with its weakended portions, said stripconstituting an abutment for the severing member and said member beingadapted to cut ont' the strip when it registerswith a weakened portionVthereof. y Y

6. Apparatus for dispensing and severing strip material comprising incombination a support for rotatably mounting a. roll of strip materialand actuating mechanismcompris king a torsion spring adapted to be woundVthrough a friction element continuously in Contact withy the stripmaterial, a severing the torsion spring whereby the friction elel,

ment advances the strip for apredetermined distance.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 29 day of J une,1928, at Pittsburgh, Pa.

ALONZO P. INGRAM.

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